Events

Registration OPEN! Etiquette Dinner for Grad Students & Postdocs

2019 UCLA Grad Slam Competition, February 26 - March 13, 2019

UCLA delighted to announce UCLA’s fifth annual Grad Slam. With support from the Office of the Chancellor and Student Fee Advisory Committee, the Graduate Division will again host this campus-wide competition that showcases and awards prizes for the best 3-minute research presentations by graduate students. The competition aims to strengthen their public speaking skills and ability to articulate their research concisely and effectively to a non-specialist audience. Again we will be providing workshops and small group coaching sessions to assist students in their preparation for the competition. The workshops are open to all graduate students, regardless if they sign up for the competition or not.

The 2019 Grad Slam will take place February 26 – March 13 with the campus winner advancing to a UC-wide competition that will be held in San Francisco on May 10, 2019. The UCLA competition will be comprised of preliminary and semi-final rounds, culminating in a final competition and celebratory reception on March 13, 2019. First, second and third place winners will receive fellowships in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. There will also be an Audience Choice award in the amount of $500.

To help make Grad Slam another great success, I would like to formally invite your participation in one or more of the following ways:

1.

OUTREACH TO STUDENTS: Please assist us with our outreach by encouraging or even nominating graduate students to enter the competition. We have emailed all graduate students about the competition and will be sending follow-up communications in the coming days leading up to the registration deadline. We will also be sending a message to all faculty, enlisting their help, as well. However, your assistance in getting the word out will be greatly appreciated. Again this year we would especially like to increase participation from North Campus students.

BE A GRAD SLAM JUDGE: Sign up to be a preliminary or semi-final round judge. The time commitment ranges from 2 – 2 ½ hours depending on the number of presenters (see schedule below). We will provide each judge with a scoring rubric in advance, along with other pertinent information and instructions.

The judges sign-up deadline is Monday, January 28th. Based on your response, we will assign you to a competition round.

Preliminary Rounds

Tuesday, February 26: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, February 26: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, February 27: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 27: 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Semi-Finals

Tuesday, March 5: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 5: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

3.

FLYER: Post, distribute and circulate the attached Grad Slam flyer – student outreach to help get the word out about Grad Slam.

4.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage key alumni, donors and professional contacts outside the university to become involved in Grad Slam, either by attending the events or serving as a judge. Grad Slam is a wonderful cultivation opportunity to expose UCLA associates directly to our graduate students and the impactful research they are conducting. Please feel free to share the attached General Grad Slam information sheet. Contact me if you would like to receive specific messaging to send to your associates.

5.

ATTEND: At minimum, save a date or two so you can attend one or more of the competition rounds to support our students and learn about the remarkable research achievements taking place on this campus every day! They are free and open to the entire campus community and general public. To view the schedule, visit the Grad Slam website and click on the Competition Schedule tab.

We are very excited about the 2019 Grad Slam and the opportunity it will provide for our graduate students to showcase their remarkable research achievements and to hone their presentation skills.

CIRTL Spring 2019 Online Workshops

Workshops have live, real-time online sessions and require independent work outside of those meetings. Workshops can have one, two, or three online sessions (multi-session workshops typically have one session per week). Registration is required; STEM grad students and postdocs from CIRTL institutions receive enrollment priority.

Getting Ready To Teach in the American Classroom: Building Rapport and Effective Communication Skills

Wednesday 2/6/19: 11AM-12:30PM PT

Develop and practice your own strategies for effective communication with students in this case-study-based online workshop. Cap: 40. Register by 2/1/19.

CIRTL Spring 2019 Online Drop-In Event

Exploring Careers in Teaching at a Community College (Spring 2019)

In this three-part series, you will learn from panels of current community college faculty about the joys and challenges of teaching at a community college, the broad diversity of students in their courses and how that enhances learning, and the ins/outs of finding a full-time teaching position at a community college. Each panel will have a community college faculty member from California, Texas, and Iowa so that the conversation takes into account how community college education varies across the country. The panels will take questions from future faculty. This series is organized through CIRTL’s NSF INCLUDES Alliance Aspire: National Alliance for an Inclusive and Diverse STEM Faculty, as part of the regional collaborative initiatives.

Introduction to Teaching at the Community College

Monday, 1/21/19: 10AM-11:30PM PT

Have you ever considered a teaching career at a community college? This career can have high impact on students beginning their higher education and often includes a strong community focused work environment. This panel of faculty will discuss their experiences in community colleges in Iowa, Texas, and Southern California. The discussion will include their career path, what they like most about the community college setting, and common misconceptions about the career. Bring your questions and be prepared to explore this wonderful career path.

Learn hiring tips from faculty that serve on the hiring committees at community colleges in Iowa, Texas, and Southern California. How might the interview differ from that of a 4-year teaching or research university? What factors should you consider in preparing your application materials and teaching demonstration? What are some common do’s and don’t’s of seeking a job at a community college? Join us to learn the answer to these questions and more.

Understanding Diversity and Inclusive Teaching in the Community College Setting

Thursday, 4/11/19: 10AM-11:30PM PT

Community colleges are truly diverse settings, attracting individuals from all different walks of life with the common interest in advancing their education. If you are interested in exploring a career at a community college, then understanding the diversity of this student population is crucial to being a competitive job applicant and a requirement in order to be able to teach effectively. This panel consisting of faculty and administrators from community colleges in Iowa, Texas, and Southern California will share insight on the differences between community college and 4-year settings with regards to student diversity. We will also explore the types of inclusive teaching strategies that best support community college students, and issues of equity that community colleges work to address.